St. James's Park

St. James's Park is a 57-acre park in Westminster, central London, England. Established in 1603, it was named for a leper hospital dedicated to the apostle St. James the Younger. The area was marshland when King Henry VIII purchased it in 1523, and, upon King James I of England's accession to the throne in 1603, he had the marshes drained and turned the park into a zoo with exotic animals such as camels, crocodiles, an elephant, and exotic birds. Following the Restoration, King Charles II of England had a French-style canal built. During the 18th century, part of the canal was reclaimed for the Horse Guards Parade and the purchase of Buckingham Palace. From 1826 to 1827, the canal was converted into a more naturally-shaped lake, and its formal avenues were turned into winding romantic pathways. The Mall was turned into a grand processional route, and it was opened to public traffic in 1887.